Car-brake



- (No Model.)

NJ. AUGSPURGJER. I GAR BRAKE. No; 244339. Patented July 26,1881,

N. PETERS Phcloljmographor. Wi li-gin DC.

ITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICEQ JoHN AUGSPURGER, OF TRENTQN, OHIO.

' CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,839, dated July 26, 1881.

Application filed January 13, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known'that I, J OHN AUGSPURGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, Butler county, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements, in Railway- Oar Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of car-brakes in which the sliding friction of a surface upon the rail is the means of reducing the speed of the car, its object being to increase the strength of the operating devices and the force of application of the brakes.

My invention is embodied in mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car with mybrake attachment; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a modification of the mechanism by which the sliding plate is raised or lowered.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the specification and drawings.

In the drawings, A is a railway-car of the ordinary construction B B the wheel-trucks, and O O the brake-shoes used in carrying out my invention.

The shoesOO are flat plates of iron curved upward at the ends, of sufficient width to accommodate the lateral positions of the car in -relation to the track, and cast with lugs c c on their upper sides, bymeans of which they are bolted to the frames D attached to the endsof the brake-bar E.

The brake'bar extends from side to side beneath the car, and is limited inits upward movement by a stop-brace, F, depending from the car. Its downward movement is limited only by the contact of the brake-shoes on the rails.

The brake is operated by a pitman, G, depending from one arm of a bell-crank lever, H, journaled in bearings beneath the car and above the brake-bar, the other arm being connected by a rod, I, and chain winding upon a spindle or shaft, J, vertically journaled adjacent to the usual hand-wheel shaft K, and operated byits rotation through connecting coggear.

A weighted arm, L, projecting horizontally so from the pivot of the bell-crank, is arranged to overbalance the weight of the brake and (No model.)

hold the bar E normally up against the stop F, when out of use.

The pitman G is provided near its lower end with a flange, g, which rests upon a rubber or coiled spring interposed between the flange g and the brake-bar, by whose resiliency the inequalities of the track are accommodated, while the brake-shoes are depressed against the rails in use. The pitman is extended through the spring and brake-bar in a loose connection, allowing the spring to act, but prevented from drawing out by a nut or key on the projecting end of the pitman beneath the brake-bar.

the car at each end by guy rods or chains M, which take the strain of frictional resistance when the brake is inuse. These may be provided with the ordinary yokes and nuts for adjusting their length when necessary.

Instead of the weighted arm L for counterbalancing the weight of the brake, coiled springs n n upholding the brake-bar from the bottom of the car may be substituted, and the winding-shaft J and its cog-gear may also be dispensed with, and the terminal chains of the connecting-rod I may be wound directly upon the'brake-wheel shaft, as is ordinarily done.

The operation is easily understood. Power being applied to the brake-wheel the connections transmit the power to the bell-crank lever and its pitman, and force the brake-bar and its end shoes down upon the track, and the stress of friction is transmitted to the car through the guy-rods, thus retarding the motion. When the brake-wheel is released, the weighted arm or springs elevate the brake-bar to its normal position out of use.

As a modification of the mechanism for operating the brake-shoes, I maydispense with the bell-crank lever and use a spur-pinion, a, secured upon a horizontal shaft journaled beneath the car and meshing with teeth upon the operating-bar b, by which the brake-bar E'is suspended. An idler-roller, d, is secured behind the bar b to retain it in mesh with the pinion a.

The spur-pinion a is actuated by an eccentric chain-wheel, e, secured upon its shaft, which is rotated by a chain connected with the brakewheel shaft. The eccentricity of the chaintwheel is soarranged that as the brake-shoes The frames D are secured to the bottom of 6 are forced into contact with the track the leverage of the applied force is greatest. The construction and arrangement of parts are fully shown in Fig. 3.

It will be understood that the brake-shoes may be easily removed and replaced when worn by use, and that the frames D and the shoes may be combined in one structure, constituting the shoe proper.

Having described my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The brake-whee] shaft K, and windingshaft J, geared andoperating as shown, in combination with the brake and its elevating and depressing mechanism, substantially as specified.

2. The brake-bar E, shoes U 0, frames D D, and guys M M, connected with said frames and a permanent part of the car-body, the brakeshaft, and intermediate connections between said shaft and the brake-bar, for operating said bar.

3. The combination, with the brake-shoes and brake-bar, of the guided rack-bar b, pinion a, in gear with said 'pinion and mounted upon a suitable shaft, the eccentric-wheel c, mounted upon said shaft, and the operating-cord I, wound upon said eccentric-wheel, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the brake-bar E, of a vertical rod or bar loosely connected with said bar, and provided with a flange, g, and a spring interposed between said flange and the top of the brake-bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wit- 3 5 nesses.

JOHN AUGSPURGER.

Witnesses L. M. HOSEA, G. P. DOOLITTLE. 

